Before he became an ICC giant, a young Kohli announced himself on the big stage with a clutch knock
Before he became the modern-day chase maestro, before the astonishing centuries under pressure, and before the World Cup heroics, Virat Kohli achieved his first significant ICC success in 2009. This took place during the ICC Champions Trophy match against the West Indies.
Indian captain MS Dhoni spinning the coin during the toss
India’s equation: Win big against West Indies and hope Australia loses to PAK.
Australia’s collapse: From 140/2 to 187/8 in a thrilling finish.
The drama: India’s players followed the Australia-PAK match more than their own!
Indian bowlers were on fire as Ashish Nehra and Praveen Kumar each took 3 wickets
As the Indians continued to bowl out the West Indies for 129 runs, they turned their attention to the other match in Centurion. Even after India commenced their chase, some of their focus remained on PAK’s late comeback against Australia.
Then Virat Kohli comes to dominate the game with his willow
At the age of just 20, Kohli delivered a mature and match-winning innings of 79* off 104 balls, leading India to a seven-wicket triumph. It was his first Player of the Match (POTM) title in an ICC tournament, and it would soon become a regular occurrence.
Kohli is smashing the Windies bowlers all over the ground
With Sachin Tendulkar unwell, India needed a leader for the chase. And Virat Kohli faced the challenge with remarkable composure, partnering for a crucial 92 runs with Dinesh Karthik (34).
India won the crucial match by 7 wickets<
Kohli’s knock was a combination of patience and aggressiveness. He withstood the strain early on before accelerating after India’s victory was assured. By the time he scored the winning runs, he had won his first ICC Player of the Match award.
A young Virat Kohli receiving the POTM award
In a remarkable change of events, Australia edged PAK with a last-ball tie, ending India’s hopes of qualifying despite a strong win against the West Indies.
That night in Johannesburg was merely a preview of what was to follow. Kohli’s first ICC Player of the Match award signified just the beginning.
So, the next time you watch Kohli excel in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, remember that it all began in 2009.
